WANA (Sep 07) – The Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) stated that inspectors have only had access to the Bushehr nuclear power plant, and there is no evidence of Iran  resuming nuclear activities in the near future. Grossi also warned about the damage inflicted on Iran’s nuclear facilities by U.S. and Israeli attacks, noting that the international community has reason to be concerned.

 

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Rafael Grossi, Director General of the IAEA, told the Italian newspaper La Repubblica that inspectors recently visited the Bushehr nuclear plant but have not yet accessed the damaged facilities or the 400 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 percent. He emphasized: “We still have no access to the damaged facilities or the 400 kilograms of enriched uranium. The international community has the right to be concerned about this.”

 

Referring to the U.S. attacks on Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan nuclear sites on June 21, Grossi said: “The level of damage is significant, as satellite images show, but our inspectors have not yet directly observed it.” Despite serious damage, no increase in external radiation levels was reported by either Tehran or the IAEA.

 

In response to these attacks, Iran targeted the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in Operation Basharat Fath.

 

Grossi also addressed speculation about the location of Iran’s enriched uranium, suggesting it may be in Isfahan and Natanz, but added: “Since June, we have effectively lost visibility.”

 

Iranian officials have dismissed such claims as unreasonable. Ismail Baghai, spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in response to pressure from France, Germany, and the UK to disclose the uranium’s location: “Our materials remained in the same sites targeted by illegal U.S. and Israeli attacks. These countries should have acted responsibly and condemned these attacks instead of criticizing Iran.”

 

The IAEA chief acknowledged that there is no indication that Iran will resume its nuclear program following the recent attacks. He also warned about Israel’s nuclear facilities, which operate outside the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty with the region’s largest nuclear arsenal, describing the regime’s policy as opaque and non-cooperative.

 

Grossi highlighted growing global nuclear risks, citing three main factors: disruptions in disarmament efforts and increased production by nuclear countries, the diminishing taboo of nuclear weapons among world leaders, and the availability of advanced destructive tools. He stressed: “A world with 20 to 25 countries armed with nuclear bombs is unpredictable and dangerous.”

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Arak nuclear facility after U.S. strike. Social media/ WANA News Agency